Valve-stem cover



July 10, 1928. 1,676,578 a P. SEGHERS VALVE STEM covaa Filed March 2a, 1923 l Patented July 1%, 1923.

EMIEL r. snennns, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VALVE-STEM COVER.

Application filed March 28, 1923. Serial No. 628,180.

This invention-relates to a protective cover 'or shield for automobile and other valve stems and has for its object the provision of a device of the class named which shall. be quick acting, easy and convenient to apply and remove, simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and of improved construction and operation.

The invention is exemplified in the combination and, arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawing and described in the following specification, and it is more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical section with parts in elevation showing one form of the present invention;

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are views similar to Fig. 1 showing modified forms;

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is an elevation of an expansion sleeve forming a part oil the invention; and Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 5. Automobile and other valve stems for pneumatic tires and like articles are commonly provided with protecting covers or dust caps. The outside of the valve stem is usually threaded to receive a nut for 'clamping'against the rim of the wheel to hold the stem in place and the dust cap usually has a. threaded engagement with the outside threads of the stem. This arrangement makes it necessary to screw the dust cap'the full length of the threads when the cap is removed or replaeedwhich, of course, consumes considerable time. In the present invention the cap is slid into and out of position by a continuous movement in the direction of the length of the cap and is secured in place by a partial rotation of the cap. A reverse movement loosens the cap so that it may be easily removed.

In the drawing. the numeral 10 designates a valve stem which is provided with threads 11 at its upper end. Between the threaded portion 11 and the body portion of the valve stem below the threads a tapered portion 12 is usually provided. In the present invention an expansion sleeve 13 has its upper end threaded to fit the threads 11 while the lower portion of v the sleeve is counter-bored, as shown at 14, the lower edge being beveled at 15 to fit the bevel 12 on the stem 10. The portion of the sleeve below the threaded connection with the part 11 is provided with slits 16 which divide the lower or skirt portion of the sleeve into sections which may be forced outwardly into binding contact with the interior of the dust cap 17.

The cap 17, as .shown in Fig. 6, is polygonal in cross-section and thelower portion of the expansion sleeve 18 is shaped to fit the interior of the cap so that when the cap is rotated the sleeve will turn with it. The sleeve normally fits sufiiciently loosely in the dust cap to permit free movement of the cap onto and off of the stem. lVhen the cap has been moved into position to cover the stem, a slight rotation will'screw the sleeve 13 downwardly on the stem so that the tapered portion 12 will spread theexpansion sleeve 13 and wedge the sleeve against the inner surface of the cover. 'This will cause the sleeve to grip the cover and hold it firmly in place. lVhen it is desired to remove the cover, a slight reverse rotation will with draw the sleeve from the taper 12, thus releasing the cover so that it may be readily removed. i

In order to'prevent'accidental loss of the cover in ,case the operator fails to clamp it in place, the lower end may be provided with inwardly bentlugs '18 which will engagethe bottom of the sleeve if the cap slips toward the end of the stem. I The upper enlarged portion-of the sleeve is provided with notches 19 through which the lugs 18 pass when the cap is moved over the sleeve. The lower enlarged portion'of the; sleeve is provided with notches 20 which are offset angularly relative to the notches 19 sov that after the lugs 18 have passed the notches 19. i the cap' may be given a slight rotation'relative to the sleeve to bring the lugsin registration with the notches 20, thus permitting the cap to move entirely ,over the sleeve. The upper end of the cup 17 may be provided with a valve wrench 21, if desired.

In the form shown in Fig. 2, the valve stem is provided with a ring or head 22 which engages a notch on the inner surface of the split portion 23 of the expansion sleeve. The sleeve is threaded onto the stem before the cap 24 is placed into position. The resiliency of the split portion 23 will permit the bead 22 to move into place, but when the cap 24 is in position the sleeve will be pre-v vented from expanding sufliciently to free the sleeve from the bead 22. This will prevent unscreWingDf the sleeve by rotation at tion, a cover cap 25 of the usual form may be attached to the upper end of the valve stem. In the form shown in Fig. 2 spring clips 26 are provided to prevent accidental loss of the cover 24; instead of the lugs 18 shown in Fig. 1.

In'the form of the invention shown in Fig. 3, a supplemental sleeve 27 is attached to the valve stem by means of a screw 28 in order to provide a tapered bearing 29 of the desired angle. The taper 3O usually provided on standard valve stems is commonly about 4:5". 'VVhile a taper of this I angle will give under most conditions sufficient wedging action to produce the desired result, it may sometimes be advantageous to use a more gradual taper such as that pro vided by a supplemental sleeve 27. In this form of the invention the expansion sleeve 31 is provided with inwardly extending lugs 32 which engage a peripheral groove in the supplemental sleeve 27 to prevent accidental displacement of the expansion sleeve.

In the form shown in Fig. 4, the expansion nut 33 isthreaded onto the main portion 34 of the valve stem instead of the reduced upper end, as in the previously described forms. lVhere the expansion nut engages the main portion of the valve stem, the outer portion of the nut 35 is slotted instead of the inner portion, as in the previously described forms. A projection 35 may be provided to prevent complete displacement of the sleeve from the stem.

In the form show in Fig. 5, the expansion sleeve 36 is similar to that shown in Fig. 4, but is shown applied to a valve stem having a standard taper of approximately as indicated at 37. i Fig. 5 shows a valve stem 38 which is standard construction in every respect so that the invention shown in this figure may be applied to valve stems already manufactured without any alteration. The

evee-re expansion sleeve 36 is threaded onto the stem until the upper portion 39 engages the taper 37. The dust cover 40 is then slipped over the expansion sleeve the desired amount and given a slight turn to the right to tighten it in place. For removal, a slight reverse rotation frees the cover so that it slides entirely from the valve stem. The slots in the expansion sleeve 36 are shown as arranged in a radial direction designated 41 in Fig. 8. It will be understood that the expansion sleeve may be slotted either radially, as shown in this figure, or,"the slots may be arranged in parallel planes, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

It will be apparent that various modifications of the device may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim 1. The combination with a valve stem, of a locking sleeve threaded thereon, a cover cap disposed over said valve stem and looking sleeve and means other than the threaded connection between said sleeve and stem for preventing accidental removal of said sleeve from said stem but operative to permit removal thereof.

2. The combination with a valve stem, of a locking sleeve threaded thereon, a guard cap slidably and 'non-rotatably mounted on said sleeve, and means for limiting the longitudinal movement of said sleeve on said stem to prevent unscrewing said sleeve from said stein by rotation of said cap.

3. The combination with a valve stem, of a locking sleeve threaded thereon, a cover cap disposed over said valve stem and looking sleeve, means other than the threaded connection between said sleeve and stem for preventing accidental removal of said cover cap from said stem but operative to permit removal thereof, and means for limiting the longitudinal movement of said sleeve on said stem to prevent unscrewing said sleeve from said stem by rotation of said cap.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 21st day of March, A. D. 1923.

EMIEL P. SEG-HERS. 

